Fluid dispenser



Feb. 19, 1963 s. E. JUDY FLUID DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 14, 1960 are E. .gkq

INVENTOR. m

puny 3% BY @zm Feb. 19, 1963 G. E. JUDY FLUID DISPENSER- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1960 F lg 6 /54 Fig. 7

Glen E Judy 1 N VEN TOR.

llnited rates i atent G? 3,078,916 FLUID DlSPENdER Glen E. ludy, Columbus, Ghio (639 S. 12th St, Coshocton, ()liio) Filed .lune 14, 1960, Ser. No. 36,017 Claims. (@Cl. 222-181) This invention relates to a novel and useful fluid dispenser assembly, and more particularly to a fluid dispenser assembly specifically adapted to be mounted upon an upstanding supporting surface for dispensing numerous and various kinds of fluids.

Various types of dispensing means have been heretofore designed for the purpose of dispensing fluids, but many of these have had drawbacks including diflicult operation, the inability to determine when the dispensers are almost empty, difliculty in refilling the dispensers and difficulty in maintaining the dispensers in operational condition.

A main object of this invention is to provide a fluid dispenser assembly for dispensing various types of fluids which will present a pleasing appearance and be specifically adapted for support by'an upright supporting surface whereby shelf space and the like will not be occupied by the fluid dispenser assembly.

A further object of this invention, in accordance with the preceding object, is to provide a fluid dispenser including a plurality of hollow receptacles each provided with a relatively flat rear wall adapted to abut against an upright supporting surface with the rear wall provided with a forwardly projecting and rearwardly opening recess having an inlet opening formed therein with a removable closure being provided for the inlet opening including rearwardly projecting abutment means extending rearwardly at least to a point lying in the plane containing the rear wall of the receptacle whereby when the receptacle is supported with its rear wall abutting the upstanding supporting surface, the closure plug will be maintained in a closed position by its engagement with a supporting surface on which the receptacle is mounted. In this manner, the appearance of the individual receptacles may be greatly improved by providing a hidden inlet opening and removable closure therefor. Of course, the coaction of the closure plug with the upright supporting surface on wh ch the receptacle is mounted insures that the closure plug will be maintained in a closed position.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to position the inlet opening formed in the recess forwardly of the rear wall of the receptacle an amount sufficient to define a portion of the volume of the receptacle, between the rear wall and a plane extending substantially parallel to the rear wall containing the inlet opening, at least equal to the portion of the volume of the receptacle disposed above the lowermost portion of the inlet opening when the receptacle is in an upright position mounted on an upright supporting surface. In this manner, if the receptacle is positioned with its rear wall substantially horizontally disposed when filling the receptacle through the inlet opening, the receptacle may be filled up to the inlet opening whereupon the receptacle may then be rotated to an upright position and it will be assured that the level of the fluid positioned therein will not extend above the lowermost edges of the inlet opening when the receptacle is in an upright position. In this manner, the receptacle may be filled accurately to its limit whereby the fluid contained therein will not tend to leak around the closure plug and out of the receptacle when the latter is positioned in an upright position.

Still another object of this invention, in accordance with the preceding objects, is to provide the receptacle with a partition wall extending upwardly from the lower end thereof and extending between opposite side walls of the receptacle a spaced distance forwardly of the rear wall thereby defining a reserve chamber within the receptacle between the partition wall and the rear wall from which fluid may not escape during normal operation of the dispenser but which may be allowed to flow into the main body of the dispenser when the supply of fluid therein is depleted by removing the dispenser from its supporting surface and rotating it to a horizontal position with its forward wall disposed lowermost whereupon the receptacle may then be again secured to its supporting surface and utilized in the normal manner to dispense fluid there from until the reserve supply of fluid is exhausted.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide each of the receptacles of the fluid dispenser assembly with substantially parallel opposite side walls enabling the individual receptacles to be positioned in side-by-side relation and supported by a single supporting element.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a plurality of receptacles constructed of resilient material and provided with a pressure actuated outlet opening and a pressure actuated air inlet opening whereby a portion of the receptacle may be inwardly deflected to increase the pressure therein and to in this manner dispense fluid there from.

Yet another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide the individual receptacles with outwardly convexed front walls whereby the front walls may be inwardly deflected to increase the pressure within the receptacles with a minimum tendency of the opposite and confronting side walls of adjacent receptacles having a tendency to bulge outwardly.

An ancillary object of this invention is to provide a fluid dispenser assembly having a plurality of fluid dispenser receptacles which are constructed in a manner readily adapted to style and size variations.

A final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a fluid dispenser including a plurality of hollow receptacles for the dispensing of various types of fluids, which fluid dispenser assembly will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the fluid dispenser assembly showing the manner in which the plurality of fluid dispenser members may be mounted in side-by-side relation and supported by a single supporting member adapted to be secured to an upright supporting surface;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view on somewhat of an enlarged scale taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of one of the dispenser members illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of the inlet opening of one of the dispenser members;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on somewhat of an enlarged scale taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of the outlet opening of one of the receptacle members;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a modified form of closure cap or plug for the inlet opening of one of the receptacles;

FIGURE 6 and FIGURE 7 are vertical sectional views taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of a modified form of receptacle member showing the manner in which the receptacle may be readily filled to its maximum without the fluid level therein rising above the hidden inlet opening formed in the rear wall of the receptacle member;

FIGURES 8 through ll are fragmentary vertical sectional views taken substantially upon a plane passing through the lower end portion of one of the modified forms of receptacle members showing the manner in which, after a normal supply of fluid contained therein has been exhausted, the modified form of receptacle member may be rotated in order to position the reserve supply of fluid contained therein within the main portion of the receptacle so that the reserve supply of fluid contained therein may be dispensed therefrom in the usual manner.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates the fluid dispenser assembly comprising the present invention which includes a mounting member generally referred to by the reference numeral 12 comprising a support for a plurality of receptacle members generally designated by the reference numeral 14.

The mounting member is in the form of a generally flat and elongated mounting plate 16 having its opposite side longitudinal edges turned back upon itself to form a pair of longitudinally extending and inwardly opening channel members 18 and 24}.

Each of the receptacle members 14 includes a hollow receptacle 22 including a rear wall 24, a front wall 26, top and bottom walls 2-3 and so and opposite side walls 32. The rear walls 24 are each substantially flat for abutting engagement with the plate 16 and are provided with a forwardly projecting and rearwardly opening recess 34. Each of the recesses 34 is provided with an inlet opening 36 and a closure plug assembly generally designated by the reference numeral 38 is provided. The closure plug assembly 38 includes a flap valve it! secured at one edge to the surfaces of the recess 34 as at 42 in any convenient manner having a plug member 4-4 formed thereon for engagement with the inlet opening 36.

With reference now more particularly to FIGURE 3 of the drawings it will be noted that the flap valve 44} is formed of a resilient material and is provided with rear wardly projecting abutment means in the form of a tab 46 on its free end. The tab 46 projects rearwardly from the recess 34 at least to a point lying in a plane containing said rear wall when the flap valve 46 is in the closed position whereby the abutment or tab 46 will engage the adjacent forward surface of the plate 16 to maintain the flat valve 49 in a closed position.

The plug 44 is itself provided with a resilient flap valve 48 for controlling an air inlet passage 50 formed through the plug 44. In this manner, the flap valve 48 enables the entrance of air into the receptacle member 14 but prevents the exit of air therefrom.

The opposite side walls 32 of the members 14 are substantially parallel and it will be noted that the receptacle members 14 may be readily positioned in side-by-side abutting relation in the mounting member 12.

The lower wall is provided with an outlet opening 52 in which there is disposed a spring urged valve assem-' bly generally referred to by the reference numeral 54. With attention now directed to FIGURE 4 of the drawtings it will be noted that the the valve assembly 54 includes a sleeve seat member secured within the opening 52 in any convenient manner through which the shank 58 of a valve member 68 is slidingly received. The valve member 60 is also provided with a diametrically enlarged head portion 62 resiliently urged in-to seated frictional engagement with the seating surface 64 of the sleeve 56 by means of a compression spring 56. It will be readily apparent that increased pressure within the receptacle member 14 will move the valve member 66) outwardly through the sleeve 56 against the thrust of the coil spring 66 to enable fluid within the container to be dispensed therefrom.

The forward or front wall 26 of each of the receptacle members 14 is outwardly convexed and the center portion thereof is slightly thickened at 68. The slightly thickened portion 68 of the front wall 26 is adapted to be laterally deflected inwardly of the receptacle member 14 in order to increase the pressure therewithin to dispense fluid therefrom. The thickened portion 68 tends to more evenly distribute the force inwardly deflecting the front wall 26 and the convexing of the front wall 26 insures that most of the flexing of the receptacle members 14 will be offected by its front wall upon inward lateral movement of the latter whereby the tendency of the opposite side walls 32 of the receptacle members 14 to bow outwardly upon the inward lateral deflection of the front walls 26 will be maintained at a minimum whereby adjacent receptacle members 14 will not have a tendency to creep away from each other in the mounting member 12.

The rear wall 24 of each of the receptacle members 14 extends a slight distance beyond the top wall 23 thereof to form an upper mounting fiange 70 and the rear wall 24 extends below the bottom wall 30 to form a depending mounting flange 72. The mounting flanges 7i) and 72 are received in the pockets formed by the channels 18 and 29 respectively. In this manner, the receptacle members 14 are mounted on the mounting member 12. With particular attention now directed to FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings, it will be noted that the forward surface of the mounting flange 72 is downwardly and rearwardly inclined as at 74. This tapering of the lower mounting flange 72 facilitates its removal from the channel 2% when the lower end of the receptacle member 14 is pulled outwardly away from the mounting member 12.

With particular attention directed to FIGURE 5 of the drawings, there will be seen a modified form of closure cap'or plug generally referred to by the reference numeral 76. The closure cap or plug 76 is substantially the same in construction as the plug 44 being provided with a flat valve '78 for controlling an air inlet opening 89. However, the plug 76 is not secured to the receptacle member 14 with which it is to be associated, but merely comprises a removable plug for the opening 36 formed in the receptacle member 14. However, the plug 76 includes a diametrically extending and rearwardly projecting rib 82 for facilitating rotation of the plug 76 and its engagement and/or removal from the inlet opening 36. Further, the rib 82 also comprises a rearwardly projecting abutment means which is also adapted for engagement with the plate 16 in order to retain the plug 76 in a closed position within the opening 36 when the receptacle member 1.4 to which it is secured is mounted on the mounting member 12.

With attention now directed more particularly to FIG- URES 6 through 11 of the drawings, there will be seen a modified form of receptacle member generally referred to by the reference numeral 114. Although the design or general outline of the receptacle member 114 is somewhat different than that of the receptacle member 14', it is to be understood that both the receptacle members 14 and 114 are constructed in the same manner. Accordingly, the receptacle member 114 has been given reference numerals corresponding to identical portions of the receptacle members 14, which reference numerals are in the series and correspond to like structural elements of the receptacle members 14'.

Each of the receptacle members 14 is provided with a baffle wall 84 projecting upwardly from the lower wall -39 and extending between the opposite side walls 32, and the receptacles 114 are each provided with similar partition walls 184.

It will be noted that, from a comparison of FIGURES 6 and 7 of the drawings, the recess 1311 projects forwardly from the rear wall 124 an amount sufilcient to define between the rear wall 124 and a plane parallel thereto containing the inlet opening 136, a portion of the volume of the receptacle member 114 equal to the portion of the volume of the container 114 disposed above the lowermost portion of the inlet opening 136. In this manner, the receptacle 114, after having been exhausted of the fluid originally positioned therein, may be refilled while maintaining the receptacle member 114 in a position with its rear wall 124 substantially horizontally disposed until the refill of fluid rises in the receptacle member 114 to the inlet opening 136. The receptacle member 114 may then be pivoted to an upright position as shown in PEG- URE 7 of the drawings and the closure plug 176 may be engaged in the inlet opening 136. It will be noted that the liquid level of the refill of fluid, when following the refilling procedure illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawings, is disposed a slight distance below the lowermost edge of the inlet opening 136 when the receptacle member 114 is disposed in upright position.

With attention drawn now more particularly to FiG- URES 8 through 11 of the drawings, as the supply of liquid within the container member 114 is gradually depicted, a certain portion of the fluid will be entrapped between the confronting surfaces of the partition wall 148 and the rear wall 124. After the normal support of fluid within the receptacle member 114 has been completed as illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings, that individual receptacle member 114 may be removed from its mounting member and rotated at least to a horizontally disposed position or somewhat further with its front wall 126 disposed lowermost as illustrated in FIGURE 10 of the drawings whereby the fluid entrapped between the partition wall 184 and the rear wall 124 will flow into the main area of the receptacle member 14 whereupon the receptacle member 114 may then be again rotated to an upright position as illustrated in FIGURE 11 of the drawings and engaged with its mounting member and thereafter utilized in a manner hereinoefore set forth to dispense fluid therefrom.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and d scribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fluid dispenser comprising a mounting member adapted to be supported from a supporting surface and including an abutment face, at least one closed receptacle member removably supported on said mounting member and having a portion of at least one wall thereof disposed in surface to surface contacting relation with said abutment face, said receptacle member including outlet means, an outwardly opening recess formed in said portion of said one wall having an opening therein, a closure plug removable outwardly of and secured in said opening and including abutment means extending outwardly from said recess to at least said portion of said one wall Whereby securement of said receptacle member to said mounting member with said portion of said one wall abutting against said abutment face will engage said abutment means with said abutment face and prevent accidental removal of said plug from said opening, said one wall comprising an upright wall of said receptacle member, said opening being spaced inwardly of the adjacent internal surfaces of said receptacle member and below the upper end of the receptacle member distances enabling the receptacle to be filled to said opening when tilted to a point with said opening extending vertically and then tilted back to its normal position with said one wall disposed upright and the level of the substance of which said receptacle member has been filled below the lowermost portion of said opening.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said receptacle member is constructed of resilient material, pressure 0perated valve means controlling said outlet means.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting member comprises an elongated mounting plate having opposite longitudinal edge portions turned back over said plate forming confronting parallel channel members, said receptacle members each including flange portions projecting outwardly therefrom from opposite sides thereof, said flange portions being longitudinally slidably received in said channel members.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said mounting plate is substantially planar and defines said abutment face, said flange portions each disposed in the medial plane of said one wall.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said closure plugs each includes one way pressure operated air vent means for enabling the inflow of air within the corresponding receptacle member upon reduction of the pressure within the receptacle member below that of the ambient atmosphere.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 367,474 Truman Aug. 2, 1887 886,984 Jopling May 5, 1908 933,484 Morris Sept. 7, 1909 2,234,167 Hothersall Mar. 11, 1941 2,517,988 Dobkin Aug. 8, 1950 2,554,489 Crane May 29, 1951 

1. A FLUID DISPENSER COMPRISING A MOUNTING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED FROM A SUPPORTING SURFACE AND INCLUDING AN ABUTMENT FACE, AT LEAST ONE CLOSED RECEPTACLE MEMBER REMOVABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID MOUNTING MEMBER AND HAVING A PORTION OF AT LEAST ONE WALL THEREOF DISPOSED IN SURFACE TO SURFACE CONTACTING RELATION WITH SAID ABUTMENT FACE, SAID RECEPTACLE MEMBER INCLUDING OUTLET MEANS, AN OUTWARDLY OPENING RECESS FORMED IN SAID PORTION OF SAID ONE WALL HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, A CLOSURE PLUG REMOVABLE OUTWARDLY OF AND SECURED IN SAID OPENING AND INCLUDING ABUTMENT MEANS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID RECESS TO AT LEAST SAID PORTION OF SAID ONE WALL WHEREBY SECUREMENT OF SAID RECEPTACLE MEMBER TO SAID MOUNTING MEMBER WITH SAID PORTION OF SAID ONE WALL ABUTTING AGAINST SAID ABUTMENT FACE WILL ENGAGE SAID ABUTMENT MEANS WITH SAID ABUTMENT FACE AND PREVENT ACCIDENTAL REMOVAL OF SAID PLUG FROM SAID OPENING, SAID ONE WALL COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT WALL OF SAID RECEPTACLE MEMBER, 